Mon, Jul 16, 2007 - Page 17 News List

Wang helps Yankees to 6-4 win

GOOD NIGHT'S WORK Wang Chien-ming allowed seven hits and three runs in six innings and Mariano Rivera came on to get the final three outs as New York triumphed

AP , BOSTONAP, SAN FRANCISCO

At St. Petersburg, Florida, Bobby Abreu homered and drove in a season-high five runs, helping Wang Chien-ming overcome a shaky first inning to win his seventh straight decision for the Yankees with a 6-4 victory over the Devil Rays on Saturday night.

Abreu hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, Hideki Matsui also went deep for the Yankees against rookie Andy Sonnanstine (1-4) and New York climbed back to .500 for the second time in three nights.

Wang (10-4) allowed seven hits and three runs in six innings to improve to 9-1 with two no-decisions over his last 12 starts.

Mariano Rivera came on to get the final three outs to move past John Franco for third place on the career saves list with 425.

Red Sox 9, Blue Jays 4

David Ortiz hit his first home run at Fenway Park since April, and Eric Hinske and Jason Varitek also homered for the Boston Red Sox to help Daisuke Matsuzaka overcome a rough outing against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Matsuzaka (11-6) was charged with four runs on nine hits and two walks, striking out two in six innings for his fourth win in five decisions. The Japanese right-hander has given up 10 runs in his last two starts after allowing a total of six runs in his six starts before that.

Troy Glaus and Aaron Hill each had a single, a double and a homer off Matsuzaka, driving in three runs in the sixth to help the Blue Jays erase a 4-1 deficit. But Varitek hit a two-run homer with nobody out in the bottom half to chase Dustin McGowan (5-5) and start a five-run rally that broke the game open.

Twins 4, Athletics 3

At Minneapolis, Carlos Silva allowed two hits pitching into the seventh inning, Michael Cuddyer drove in a pair of runs and the Twins held on to beat the Athletics.

Luis Castillo, Joe Mauer and Jason Tyner each had two hits for the Twins, who have won the first three games of the series and entered the night trailing Detroit by seven games in the AL Central.

Joe Blanton (8-6) allowed 10 hits in 7 2-3 innings and took the loss for the Athletics. They have lost a season-high six straight and fell a season-worst three games under .500.

In other American League action of Saturday it was:

* Royals 6, Indians 5

* Orioles 7, White Sox 6, 10 innings

* Angels 9, Rangers 5

* Mariners 6, Tigers 4

Derek Lowe held Barry Bonds hitless in three more at-bats and stuck on 751 home runs, and the Los Angeles Dodgers won their 10th straight game in San Francisco on Rafael Furcal's sacrifice fly in the 12th inning of an 8-7 victory on Saturday.

Bonds is 0-for-11 in his career against Lowe. He also struck out in the seventh inning against Joe Beimel and grounded out in the 11th against Mark Hendrickson in his first 0-for-5 game since Sept. 26, 2005. Bonds is hitless in his last 13 at-bats and has not homered since July 3 at Cincinnati, remaining four shy of tying Hank Aaron's record of 755.

Bonds did walk to lead off the ninth against All-Star closer Takashi Saito and scored the tying run on Pedro Feliz's two-out RBI single.

But the Dodgers rallied with a leadoff double by James Loney in the 12th off Pat Misch (0-1). Loney went to third on Wilson Betemit's single, and after Misch intentionally loaded the bases, Furcal hit a fly ball and Loney beat Fred Lewis' throw home to score the go-ahead run.

Hendrickson (4-4) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Rudy Seanez worked the 12th for his first save since June 23, 2001, for San Diego.

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